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senile
(redirected from senilely)

   Also found in: Medical 0.03 sec.
se·nile  (snl, snl)
adj.
1. Of, relating to, or characteristic of old age.
2. Relating to or exhibiting memory loss or mental impairment associated with aging.
3. Geology Worn away nearly to the base level, as at the end of an erosion cycle.

[Latin senlis, from senex, sen-, old; see sen- in Indo-European roots.]

senilely adv.
Word History: In earlier writings one finds phrases such as "a senile maturity of judgment" and "green and vigorous senility," demonstrating that senile and senility have not always been burdened with their current negative connotations. These two words are examples of pejoration, the process by which a word's meaning changes for the worse over time. Even though senile (first recorded in 1661) and senility (first recorded in 1778) initially had neutral senses such as "pertaining to old age" (the sense of their Latin source, the adjective senlis), it is probable that the mental decline that sometimes accompanies old age eventually caused negative senses to predominate. Although recent medical research has demonstrated that the memory and cognitive disorders once designated by senility are often caused by various diseases rather than the aging process itself, it seems unlikely that the word will regain its neutral senses.

senile
Adjective
mentally or physically weak or infirm on account of old age [Latin senex an old man]
senility n
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Adj.1.senile - mentally or physically infirm with age; "his mother was doddering and frail"
old - (used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age; "his mother is very old"; "a ripe old age"; "how old are you?"

senile
adjective doddering, doting, decrepit, failing, imbecile, gaga (informal) in your dotage, in your second childhood
USAGE Words such as senile and geriatric are only properly used as medical terms. They are very insulting when used loosely to describe a person of advanced years. Care should be taken when using old and its synonyms, as they can all potentially cause offence.
Translations

senile [ˈsiːnaɪl] adjsenil
senile [ˈsiːnaɪl] adjsénile
senile [ˈsiːnaɪl] adjsenil
senile [ˈsiːnaɪl] adjsenile

senile
adj senile [ˈsiːnail]
showing the feebleness or childishness of old age a senile old woman.senielهَرِم أو خَرِفизкуфялsenilnísenilsenilγεροξεκούτης, ξεμωραμένοςsenilseniilneمربوط به كهولتseniilisénileסֶנִילִיजरा, जराजन्य, जरासूचकpodjetinjio, senilanszenilisuzurellihrumur/-ærsenile老衰の노쇠한, 망령든nusenęs, iškaršęssenils; bērna prātānyanyuksenielsenilzgrzybiały, starczysenilsenilдряхлый; впавший в старческое слабоумиеsenilnýsenilensenilansenilจิตใจและร่างกายอ่อนแอลงเพราะความชราbunamış, bunak老年的, 衰老的старечий; старезнийبڑھاپے کے آثار والاlão suy,
n seˈnility [səˈni-]
seniliteitشَيْخوخَه، هَرَم، خَرَفизкуфялостsenilitasenilitetdie Senilitätγεροντική άνοιαsenilidadseniilsusسالمنديvanhuudenheikkoussénilitéסֶנִילִיוּתबुढ़ा़पा, जराजीर्णताstaraštvo, senilnostszenilitáskeuzuranellihrumleiki; ellisenilità老衰노쇠, 노망iškaršimassenilitātekenyanyukanseniliteitsenilitet, aldersdemenszgrzybiałośćsenilidadesenilitateдряхлость;старческое слабоумиеsenilitasenilnostsenilnostsenilitetชราภาพbunaklık衰老старість; старезністьکہولتtình trạng lão suy

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